Hooliganism In Irish Football

[corkery]

It only happens in Belfast.

[passerrby]

only in LOI can a gardai band serenade you while his mates kick the crap out of you

[Lionel Ritchie]

Limerick v Shamrock Rovers at the Market's Field in 1984 and the 1994 Leinster Senior Cup Final between Bohs and Rovers, pitch invasion by fans and fighting on the pitch ? Might have been after the game though but remember seeing it on the telly. Too young to remember the Limerick/Rovers game, anyone got any recollections ?

I believe I was at the 1984 match though for some reason, beyond being about 10 at the time and only curious rather than interested in football, I'd forgotten who the opposition were and had in recent years settled upon it being Drogheda for some reason. Anyway, largish group of away support gathered in the corner of the stand directly behind us (I was with my dad and at least one of my brothers on the terrace leaning on the wall). They'd have been at the Johns Cathedral end shall we say.

Don't recall how far in the game was but there was a lot of banter and chanting. We were ignoring it and watching the game until the lumps of masonry started raining down on us wherever they were getting it from. I'm not talking stones and pebbles either -but lumps of concrete the size of feckin bricks. Brave lads hocking that stuff at kids. We ran -which is to say -my dad ran with us under his overcoat to try and protect us. They charged out of the stand into the area we'd been standing and out onto the track from there. Couldn't see much thereafter as I was under a coat.

[passerrby]

I believe I was at the 1984 match though for some reason, beyond being about 10 at the time and only curious rather than interested in football, I'd forgotten who the opposition were and had in recent years settled upon it being Drogheda for some reason. Anyway, largish group of away support gathered in the corner of the stand directly behind us (I was with my dad and at least one of my brothers on the terrace leaning on the wall). They'd have been at the Johns Cathedral end shall we say.

Don't recall how far in the game was but there was a lot of banter and chanting. We were ignoring it and watching the game until the lumps of masonry started raining down on us wherever they were getting it from. I'm not talking stones and pebbles either -but lumps of concrete the size of feckin bricks. Brave lads hocking that stuff at kids. We ran -which is to say -my dad ran with us under his overcoat to try and protect us. They charged out of the stand into the area we'd been standing and out onto the track from there. Couldn't see much thereafter as I was under a coat.

I wonder where them kids are now , in prison , running a football team, running the country who knows

[peadar1987]

I wonder where them kids are now , in prison , running a football team, running the country who knows

Nah, all the politicians were massive Drumcondra supporters!

[gspain]

Limerick v Shamrock Rovers at the Market's Field in 1984 and the 1994 Leinster Senior Cup Final between Bohs and Rovers, pitch invasion by fans and fighting on the pitch ? Might have been after the game though but remember seeing it on the telly. Too young to remember the Limerick/Rovers game, anyone got any recollections ?

The Sligo game mentioned earlier (75 lkeague cup final) was much worse than the Rovers game in 84. A few Rovers fans came down to cause trouble and our local knackers showed up for the first time in a year wearing blue and white after we'd changed our colours to yellow/green a few months earlier. I recall the door of my Dad's car being damaged in 84.

I always stood on the popularside but in 75 could see full battles over in the stand. there was plenty of blood on show.

The return leg in Sligo passed off without incident but we had very few fans there IIRC. I certainly wore my blue and white scarf without a problem but I was only 9 then.

[Rasputin]

TBH you would be better off making contact with the lads that actually ran with the Boot Boys back in the day and getting their storys off them than through the likes of this.
Everyone knows who they were in their respective clubs so try and make contact with them, you'll get a wealth of information.

[marinobohs]

TBH you would be better off making contact with the lads that actually ran with the Boot Boys back in the day and getting their storys off them than through the likes of this.
Everyone knows who they were in their respective clubs so try and make contact with them, you'll get a wealth of information.

Can see your point but anyone who read any of the so called "footie Hooligan" genre of books that evoled in England in recent years (Google - Cass Pennant) will know that the memories of those involved can be very selective
Probobly the best approach is to stick to things that happened inside grounds as they are more likely to be reported in the media

[Lim till i die]

To take this thread off on a little tangent, which is more pathetic?? Football Hooliganism or people who think it's cool??

Discuss the issues.

[peadar1987]

To take this thread off on a little tangent, which is more pathetic?? Football Hooliganism or people who think it's cool??

Discuss the issues.

Is there anyone involved in football hooliganism who doesn't think it's cool? Because if there isn't, I reckon someone who actually hoolies it up, and thinks it's cool is more pathetic than someone who just thinks it's cool from the comfort of a bar stool.

[kneebandage]

A young fella no more than 7 or 8 years old pulled a small knife on my father walking back to his car in Athlone after watching Rovers in the early 80s and said''Gimme 5 pence''in shock my father said''What?''The young lad replied''Gimme 5 pence or I will cut your willy off!!''